"At the National Stationery Show, we've become dependent on the Giftware News E-Weekly to help us reach a core audience of decision-makers. It's helped us keep our business moving forward."

Melissa Gray, GLM, Marketing Manager

"We have enjoyed working with the competent, helpful, and resourceful people at Giftware News. Our online ads are a great way to stay "top of mind" with our Retailers."

Douglas Company

"I know the second the blast goes out, my phone starts ringing and our websites get inundated with registrations."

Michele Diodati, The Plum Island Soap Company

Thank you Giftware News for your innovative new ways of attracting attention to our new products! The Digital Issue is a great asset to shop owners with all the interesting tips on displays & trends; the banners on the eWeekly Newsletter really POP!

Vicky Grant
Creative Director
Manual Woodworkers & Weavers, Inc.

The ad I placed in the May/June issues of Giftware News has been one of the most successful ads ever for Harvest of Barnstable. Several new buyers walked into the Atlanta booth specifically to place orders after seeing our advertised Blooming Paperwhite Baskets and phone orders continue to come in. The ad was paid for on the first day of the show! Thank You GWN!

MVP Group International Introduces MVP Brands Dedicated to Independent Retailers

MVP Group International, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of premium home fragrances, candles and plush products, has introduced MVP Brands, a new division dedicated to serving independent retailers. The newly created division features the organization’s popular brands including Colonial Candle, Everybody’s Ayurveda, Genuine Monkeez and Friends, Monkeez Makes a Difference and Goofballz product lines. Former Midwest-CBK and Ty president Scott Wehrs is serving as president of MVP Brands.

MVP Brands is changing and expanding its sales force and showroom presence across the
country, making it more convenient for independent retailers to shop Colonial Candle,
Everybody’s Ayurveda, Monkeez Makes a Difference and Goofballz product lines.

Starting
May 1, the Colonial Candle and Everybody’s Ayurveda collections will be available
through the following rep groups and showrooms launching during summer 2013
markets:

“We’re committed to serving independent retailers, and excited to expand MVP Brands’
sales presence and showrooms for ease and convenience of shopping in locations closest
to our customers across the country,” says MVP Brands president Scott Wehrs. “We’ve
carefully selected our sales partners and showrooms based on their dedication to retailers,
experience and outstanding reputations in the industry. With these new sales partners
and showrooms, we’re dedicated to bringing independent retailers outstanding new
products available in more showrooms than ever before and personalized service to
benefit their business, backed by the experience, resources and talents of a successful
global organization.”

A key player in AmericasMart’s successful integration of home and rug product collections, The StyleCraft Home Collection is moving to a new showroom on Floor 4 of Building 1. The significant expansion to more than 9,000 square feet allows the company to showcase more of its extensive line of home décor and lighting products. The move further solidifies AmericasMart’s commitment to providing a comprehensive shopping experience incorporating full home and rug collections in easily accessible showrooms.

For more than 40 years, the Mississippi-based company has been part of AmericasMart, starting with a rep group then moving to bigger and bigger corporate showrooms commensurate with StyleCraft’s growth.

“We introduce thousands of new designs each season,” says Jimmy Webster, president of StyleCraft Home Collection. “We could only show about a tenth of our line so we’re expanding our space as our product line continues to grow and moving to the new floor.”

After introducing wall décor in 2005 to complement its successful lighting collection, StyleCraft continued to expand by adding mirrors, decorative accessories and decorative furniture, building a fully rounded company with resources from north Mississippi to China ensuring a dependable resource stream for customers.

“Based on StyleCraft’s vast product mix and a devout following of top retailers throughout the world, they’ve stayed in a growth constant mode at AmericasMart to meet demand,” says Mark Furlet, senior vice president of Leasing for AmericasMart. “This significant expansion marks their fifth in the last 10 years.”

Continuing the company philosophy of focusing on value and customer service is the foremost goal for the entire StyleCraft family as they expand in Atlanta. “We believe in offering great styling at a great price,” says Webster. “That commitment will be evident during the July Market when we’ll introduce a new collection from renowned designer Brian Keith. He has a successful bedding line that complements his lighting, wall decor and decorative accessories.”

StyleCraft is celebrating the opening of the new showroom with a series of promotions and giveaways during The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (July 10-17, 2013), including offering daily discounts and awarding five iPads. The company will also launch its new website concurrent with July Market.

For complete information, visit the showroom during Market.

Seda France, Inc. Names Julie Boyce New Business Development Manager

This month, Julie Boyce joins Seda France Home Fragrances as New Business Development Manager, a position that gives her overall leadership of new business as the company makes great strides forward. She will lead the Seda France team in researching and evaluating new opportunities, formulating sales strategies, reporting and training, and working with key accounts to drive revenue of all the company’s products, including specialty and private label packaging for major retailers – all based on identifying customer needs and demand for new products.

Boyce comes to Seda France from the hospitality industry, where she focused on sales and
business development. She has over 15 years of experience in the retail and wholesale industry as a sales representative in Chicago at the Gift and Home Market, in Dallas for Omni Sales Group and as an Account Executive with Lady Primrose’s products.

“The chance to work for CEO Robert Hernandez and to be a part of Seda France is an honor,”
says Boyce. “I value what Seda France represents and the many ways our creations
provide a distinctive experience for everyone. I sold my first Seda France candle at Essentials
in Oklahoma City, and now I'm excited to find myself at this special company. I look forward to developing new business growth and beautiful experiences for others.”

Julie Boyce can be reached at 512/206-0105, ext. 107, 800) 474-0854, ext. 107, or at
julieb@sedafrance.com.

California Marketing Associates Names Jackie Hoggan VP of Sales

California Marketing Associates (CMA), one of the industry’s top manufacturer’s representative sales organizations, has appointed Jackie Hogan to the position of Vice President of Sales, it was announced by Mickey Lang, founder and president of CMA.

“Jackie’s knowledge and experience have already been a tremendous asset to the growth of CMA,
and we see her passion for the home furnishings and gift industry as leading the future growth of our
company, “ stated Lang. An industry veteran of over fifteen years, Hoggan has been with CMA in the
role of Sales Manager for the last three years, and has also led CMA’s Key Account Sales.

Founded in 1980, California Marketing Associates has grown to become one of the most highly
respected sales agencies in the United States, representing leading lines chosen from the home
furnishings, home/garden accessories, gift, stationery and fashion accessories industries.
Headquartered for the past 11 years in their 40,000 square foot penthouse showroom in the
California Market Center in the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ thriving fashion district, CMA’s lines
include: Raz Imports,Creative Co-op, tag, A&B Home, Paragon/Propac, Tyler Candle, Avanti Press,
DM Merchandising, Workman, Feizy Rugs,Manual Woodworkers, Woodstock Chimes, One Hundred
80 Degrees, and Lady Primrose among many others.

AmericasMart Atlanta continues the integration of its unparalleled home and rug collections with Silkroute International’s expansion into a new, much larger showroom. The move to Floor 5 in Building 1 nearly triples the space to more than 14,000 square feet, allowing the company to showcase a wider variety of its expansive product mix both during Markets and between for daily business.

“With increasing our showroom space in Atlanta, we are now able to show a broader range of merchandise. Not only will we have the space for more of our wonderful one of a kind finds, we will also have a portion of the showroom dedicated to the new division of our company, SilkRoute Home. It’s focused on re-orderable items such as our successful, high quality leather Artsome Collection as well as the Park Avenue Collection, an American made custom upholstery line,” says Ferozan Ibrahimi, owner of Silkroute International.“This expansion will allow our clients to shop for more of their product needs, from accessories to architectural pieces.”

Based on clients’ needs, the company opened a 20,000-sq. ft warehouse five miles from AmericasMart to ensure inventory is readily available – a tremendous benefit to the design community as well as retailers.

SilkRoute is a family owned business that strives to provide the highest quality merchandise, at the best possible price. “We have been a direct importer since 1979 and have strong relationships with our vendors worldwide,” says Ibrahimi. “We do not have a minimum order, as we believe every drop of rain makes a river.”

To celebrate the grand opening of the new Atlanta showroom, the company will give away prizes, including a cruise for two. The prizes will be awarded during The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, July 10-17, 2013. “We look forward to giving our clients and prospective buyers a chance to relax and enjoy a live band, hors d'oeuvres and drinks with us, as we debut our new showroom,” says Ibrahimi.

GALLA, which is an acronym for Give And Live Los Angeles, and is meant to inspire and give credence to the fact that the L.A. Mart’s markets are not only a grand event but also a place to find amazing product resources in a shopping environment that is entertaining, educational and experiential. Its tagline, LA’s Global Gift + Home Market Event, reminds buyers of the 15,000 plus lines of wholesale gifts, home accessories and furniture that are sourced on a national and global scale and are available during markets.

“This is going to be a fantastic market and we are thrilled with the re-brand of our Gift + Home Market,” says Frank Joens, senior vice president, general manager of the L.A. Mart. “GALLA, as the name suggests, is an event with substance, style and class which is the perfect description of what to expect during markets here at the L.A. Mart. Plus with this new identity, our industry can be assured that change is in the air at the L.A. Mart. Our building and our markets are going through rapid changes that, among other things, are manifesting as new product resources, new showrooms, new educational opportunities and new energy. This, like our new brand, is the beginning of an L.A. Mart evolution!”

The new brand launch will be introduced immediately with full exposure during the next market: July 17-22, and will be used to identify the quarterly markets held at the building throughout the year: January, March/April, July and September/October.

For more information about L.A. Mart or the GALLA shows, visit LAMart.com.

Alex Meisel & Co Partners With Kathy Davis Studios

Kathy Davis, one of America’s top social expressions designers, announces a new partnership with Alex Meisel & Co., a leading art/design brand and licensing firm. Meisel will represent the Kathy Davis brands across all market segments. In addition, Meisel and Davis will collaborate to launch the designer’s new lifestyle collection - developed especially for home decor, fashion accessories, and giftware and other specialty markets. The collection will premiere at this year’s National Stationery Show (May 19-22 in New York).

“I have watched the Kathy Davis brand grow for years,” says Alex Meisel. “Her designs have been successful on products ranging from social expressions and craft, to textile, dinnerware and gift. It’s a tremendous opportunity to help bring this lifestyle brand to the next level.”

“Alex brings a unique talent and a lot of experience working with leading designers and expanding their brand into lifestyle categories, ” says Kathy Davis Studios President Peter Walts. “He has a great understanding of our brand, and we’re excited about working with him to grow our business in new directions.”

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